Progress Update

Today I have completed my Project Update form which details what I have done and what I plan to do over the next few weeks.

Over the next few weeks I am going to focus on finding statistics from American rehabilitation programmes to see how successful they are and then compare these to UK programmes. After this I can make a reasoned judgement as to which country is most successful and why.

Presentation

Today I started on my presentation. I decided to use PowerPoint because I thought it would be the best way to put all of my information and pictures on there. I didn't want to put too much writing on each slide as I want to talk about the slide as well. As I haven't completed my report yet I didn't upload my findings or the analysis of the response to my survey because I want to keep this open for as long as possible. After each slide which showed a picture of, for example my plan, I discussed why I chose this option and any problems I had. I documented my different research methods to show that I have used both primary and secondary resources and assessed how reliable and valid each source was. After showing my tutor the first attempt I have decided to find a YouTube video which talks about rehabilitation to make my presentation more accurate. I am also going to add in case studies that I have found and complete a graph which shows my survey findings. Finally, I wrote about what I would do differently if I did this project again.

Oxford Journals

This week I have been reading through the 'Oxford Journals' in the Law section to find out how rehabilitation views and methods have changed in the last 10 years.
I used the 'British Journal of Criminology' to read an article about the post-release of young adult offenders. This journal was published in 1990 so I can use it to compare the methods with ones used today. The article argues that prison is often not the best solution for young offenders and also reasons why young offenders often are reluctant to go through rehabilitation.
Following on from the research I conducted about Intensive Probation I have also read an article entitled Intensive Probation for Young Adult Offenders which was also from the British Journal of Criminology, published in 1993.

I also decided to re-advertise my survey so that I had a broader number of responses so now I have 49. I am able to keep it open until I choose to collect and analyse the data.

I have also started to produce my presentation, explaining why I have chosen this title/topic. I have added my plan onto the slideshow and as I finish my research I will add this to my presentation.

 

Work Schemes in Prison

Today I have researched about projects in prisons which promote work experience and training. I have found statistics on the employability of prisoners which carries on from my research of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Many prisoners are employed whilst they are in prison but find it hard to transfer these skills to jobs when they leave. Many prisoners are employed in low level jobs whilst in prison such as laundry which doesn't provide them with the neccessary skills to get a job when they leave.
Specifically I looked at the scheme in HMP Coldingley which deals with medium-long term prisoners. It only accepts prison transfers who are willing to work full time whilst in prison and their aim is to give prisoners the skills to get a job when they leave.
I have also researched the Transco scheme which is for young offenders. It was first introduced in 1998 and has since started more schemes. I am going to continue to find statistics for this scheme to show its success.
Finally I have researched different rehabilitation methods for prisoners serving different length sentences. Some programmes are completed within 4 weeks for people on short-term sentences and is supposed to provide the prisoner with a foundation which can be built upon. There are also different schemes for women prisoners, youth offenders and sex offenders.
I have been getting my information from Home Office reports as well as the Ministry of Justice website so they are reliable.

Research

Today I went to my local univeristy library to read through their books to help with my research. I researched the difference between how women and men are treated in prison and how rehabilitation methods also differ. I also found statistics showing the success of different methods between 1981 and 1991 and I am going to find recent statistics to compare the differences.
I also looked at the options for recently released prisoners and found some case studies showing day centres which help to rehabilitate them back into the community.
I also researched rehabilitation methods for serious sex offenders and how these compare with offenders convicted of lesser crimes.
Finally, I looked at the differences between Intensive Rehabilitation processes in America compared with the eqivilant in the UK.

Coalition Reforms

Since the coalition came to power they have highlighted that mkaing rehabilitation of offenders more effective is going to be a key target for them. I have read through the declaration to parliament in December 2010 about breaking the cycle of reoffending and having effective punishments. This included introducing Working Prisons which means prisoners are working a full 40 hour week and gaining skills they can use when they are released. I have looked at case studies from HMP Manchester and HMP Ranby which have implemented the working prison scheme. I have also looked at examples of community schemes which help to rehabilitate offenders back into their community by giving something back.

I have also found a case study as evidence for my youth justice section which helps them to stop offending. I also researched the new ruling by the supreme court in California which said that juvinile offenders cannot be sentenced to life in prison. This highlights the difference between the two systems in that the UK system focusses more on stopping reoffending whilst the American system focusses on punishment.

Continued Youth Rehabilitation

Today I have researched how practices in America for juvinile offenders has changed and how it compares to the UK. I recorded that in 2012 the Californian Supreme Court ruled that juviniles are not allowed to receive life imprisonment without bail. The American system is much harsher compared to the UK system and until recently discouraged the use of rehabilitation. I have now completed my research on methods used in the UK for youth offenders and systems which deter offenders.

This week I am going to start compiling statistics against rehabilitation methods in the UK so that I can see which are the most affective. This will also show me the change which has happened over the last 10 years. I will also start to complete some graphs to put into my report.

So far my survey has had 23 replies and I have started the analyse responses. I was most surprised that the majority of the people who took my survey thought that the age of criminal recognition should be 14. This coincided with a statement from the government suggesting the criminal responsibility age be lowered to 12. This would bring the UK in line with guidelines implemented by the United Nations.

I have also completed a form which shows my progress so far and aims:

Young Offenders

I have designed and published a survey on young offenders to help me see the publics view on how young offenders should be treated.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y83L2TV

I have also researched methods designed by the Home Office to prevent young people offending with the help of the charity 'Catch22'

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/reducing-reoffending/positive-futures/

Also, I have read about the Spent Convictions Act which states that offenders who are eligible have put their criminal past behind them and have been fully rehabilitated back into society.

This source of information is valid because it is from the authority which created the rehabilitation methods.
It can be relied upon because it is the Home Office and the government has a duty under the Freedom of Information Act to disclose its methods in their truth.

Plan for EPQ-01/10/12

Today I finished my plan which shows when I plan to have my research finished for and when I will start my report.

As I continue my research I will write which aim I have completed and how I have done this.
I will also be documenting any problems I have encountered:

I have also been doing some research about terrorist rehabilitation by reading this article :

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2210437/Britains-terror-cells-A-chilling-insight-gangs-convicted-terrorists-recruit-prisoners-Al-Qaeda.html

 

and I will research more about the ERG22+ and Healthy Identities Intervention to include in my report.

28/09/12-First Entry

This blog is going to be my diary for my EPQ. I'm doing the title 'Can someone ever be fully rehabilitated back into society?' and focussing on rehabilitation methods in prisons.

Today I decided how I am going to complete my diary and plan and then finished my aims and objectives.
My aims are:

• Are there different rehabilitation processes for different age groups of offenders?
• How do methods used in the UK compare to methods used in America?
• What are the success rates of different processes?
• How have rehabilitation processes changed in the last 10 years?

My objectives are:

• To find out the public perception of rehabilitation by doing a questionnaire
• To analyse statistics from the last 10 years
• To research methods used for young offenders and compare then to ones used for adults
• To research methods used in America and compare them with methods used in the UK
• To analyse case studies

I have also filled in my Individual Profile:

 

 



 

This outlines my strengths, weaknesses and what I am interested in.

 

I also completed an Initial Ideas sheet which shows my first aims, objectives, title and how I am going to conduct my research:

 

Next week I will have decided on a way of presenting my plan and when I am going to complete my research by.